Australian Handrails is dedicated to providing customers with outstanding products regardless of the application. Whether it’s stainless steel bollards, rubber LED speed humps or intricate E-DS machines, quality is the number one priority.
When it comes to perforated materials, nothing changes. There are a number of stages that must be undertaken before the final product is ready.
Birthing of aluminium
Bauxite, a naturally occurring mineral rich in aluminium, is mined before being crushed, dried and ground along with a small amount of water. After being heated with steam to reduce the majority of silicon within the material, it is poured into reduction cells within an aluminium smelter, completing the conversion to liquid aluminium.
Next, the aluminium is cast into ingots and, from this point, can be transformed into 3mm and 4mm sheets with the customers granted the option to custom manufacture a particular thickness. The aluminium is stored in coils and graded 5OO5 H34, a medium strength alloy with excellent weldability and resistance to atmospheric corrosion.
Perforation
The perforation process is a multi-faceted one, as there are a number of different elements involved. The custom manufactured nature of the product means that the purchaser can determine the number of holes that are punched as well the pitch, which entails the distance between two holes.
Consequentially, the pitch controls whether the holes are stamped evenly, in a staggered format or sporadically across the sheet. The shape of the sheet can also vary from square, rectangular and circular, with the ability to include a fold to create a specific type of angle.
The open area of the perforated material is the percentage of the sheet that is constituted of holes while the patterns available are endless, with the choice of basic shapes (circles and squares), slotted (elongated holes), diamond club and flanged (raised hole) just to name a few.
Powder coating
Once the aluminium has been perforated, the sheet is ready for powder coating, which can be applied to one or two sides depending on whether both will be visible once installed.
There is a vast range of colours to choose from, including Australian Standard, RAL and Dulux Duratech varieties, to ensure that customers are receiving exactly the kind of finish they desire.
Not to mention…
Perforated panelling is both popular and versatile, capable of delivering striking visual appeal to a building as well as providing durability, strength and functionality.
Perforation is a common decorative element in hotels, restaurants and residential apartment lobbies, while it is also a pleasing sight at sporting stadiums, entertainment venues, train stations and workplaces to create an architectural statement.
From start to finish, perforated products from Australian Handrails are guaranteed to impress.